Mo Money, Mo Problems: Songs for the Debt Standoff

Last night, when President Obama addressed the nation about the debt ceiling, and Speaker of the House John Boehner responded, there was an overwhelming sense of deadlock: Obama pointed at House Republicans for refusing to compromise; Boehner shot back that the President was irresponsibly seeking a “blank check.” (Amy Davidson has more on the speeches.) The frustration on both sides was palpable. Since music soothes the savage Congress, we thought that there might be some songs to help both Democrats and Republicans get through this crisis. At the very least, they can’t hurt. (Note: We couldn’t find any songs that had the word “loggerheads” in the lyrics.)

Marvin Gaye, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” (1962)

President Obama was just a year old when Gaye had his first major Motown hit with this song. The lyrics aren’t specifically about the debt ceiling: they are a declaration of romantic persistence. At the time of the song’s release, the debt was a relatively paltry $250 billion.

James Brown, “Give It Up or Turnit a Loose” (1969)

Many James Brown songs are perfect fits for matters financial (“Money Won’t Change You”), diplomatic (“The Payback”), or political (“Talkin’ Loud And Saying Nothin’ ”). This song, which topped the R. & B. charts, works well with the debt crisis; it expresses Brown’s awareness of the circularity of events (“Starting over again,” he sings) and his frustration with the lack of resolution (“Lord have mercy”). Here’s the remix from “In the Jungle Groove.”

Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “Mystery Dance” (1977)

One of the standout tracks from Costello’s début album, “Mystery Dance” is a sharp portrait of sexual insecurity (cf. Randy Newman’s “Maybe I’m Doing It Wrong”). Still, the debt crisis is something of a mystery to most Americans, and the song’s chorus is almost prophetic in its combination of confusion and defiance: “Why don’t you tell me ’bout the mystery dance / I wanna know about the mystery dance / Why don’t you show me ‘cause I’ve tried and I’ve tried, and I’m still mystified / I can’t do it anymore and I’m not satisfied.” Here’s a superbly nervous live version from 1978.

Johnny Winter, “Tired of Trying” (1977)

The more politicians try to clarify the debt issue, the more they seem to muddy the waters; by coincidence, Johnny Winter cut the 1977 album “Nothin’ But the Blues” with the Muddy Waters Band. Winter himself is in fine form here.

Peter Gabriel, “Don’t Give Up” (1986)

John Boehner was newly elected to the Ohio House of Representatives when Peter Gabriel released “So,” the mammoth album that produced such hits as “Big Time,” “Red Rain,” “Sledgehammer,” and this ballad, a duet with Kate Bush. The lyrics have a spirit of forgiveness that seems alien to government (“no reason to be ashamed”), but the melody is lovely. Here’s the song in a live version, with Bush replaced by Paula Cole and an extended outro.

Notorious B.I.G., “Mo Money, Mo Problems” (1997)

The debt crisis is a big issue. Biggie was a big man. This song was a big hit. And the sentiment is unimpeachable: “I don’t know what they want from me / It’s like the more money we come across, the more problems we see.”

Sign up to get the best of The New Yorker delivered to your inbox every day